Waistband for trousers



2 Sheets-She'et 1.

(No Model.) J. E. LEAVITT.

WAISTBAND FOR TROUSERS.

No. 411,250. Patented Sept. 17, 1889..

N. PEYERS mlflhqnphcr. Washingmn. D. C.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

J. Be LEAVITT.

WAISTBAND FOR TROUSERS.

No. 411,250. Patented Sept. 17, 1 889.

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Mae-$1M; .xm EM" UNITED STATES PATENT OFEIcE.

JOHN E. LEAVITT, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

WAISTBAND FOR TROUSERS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 411,250, dated September 17,1889.

Application filed July 15, 1889. Serial No. 317,543- (No model.)

To all whom it may corwern:

Be it known that I, JOHN E. LEAVITT, of Boston, county of Suffolk, State of Massachusetts,have invented an Improvement in IVaistbands, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification,like letters on the drawings representing like parts.

This invention has for its object to improve the construction of waistbands for trousers, chiefly to insure greater comfort and a better fit than when the waistband is made as heretofore common.

The Waistband herein described is composed of two strips or plies of cloth curved in the direction of their length and laid one upon the other and sewed together about their edges, which will preferably be inturned to make a finish.

The waistband referred to is shown as provided at or near its lower edge and at a point about midway its ends with a slit which is preferably curved in the direction of the curve of the waistband; but the curve for the slit is struck from a circle of much less radius than the circle corresponding with the curve of the waistband. Preferably the edges of the material about the said slit will be inturned and stitched down, and under strain, as when the person wearin g the trousers bends the body forward, the said slit will open or spread, lessening strain upon the seat and causing the waistband to conform closelyto the body. Several short pieces of elastic tape or webbing are interposed between the two strips or pieces of material constituting the waistband, the said elastic tape crossing the said slit, one end of each of said pieces being secured to the waistband above said slit, while the other end of each of said pieces is secured to the lower or narrow part of the band, the stitches uniting the waistband to the top part of the trousers also passing through the said tapes below the said slit.

The waistband provided with button-holes will be secured at its opposite ends and lower edge to the trousers, and it will, in accordance with my invention, be also secured to the trousers between the ends of the waistband and the ends of the slit by one or more the waistband, so that when the trousers are fitted on the wearer the top or upper edge of the trousers will be thrown in toward and made to conform to the body, especially when the latter is bent, and as a result throwing the fullness into the seat of the trousers.

Figure 1 shows in side View a waistband embodying this invention, the said waistband being represented as laid out flat and as stitched to the upper part of a pair of trousers; Fig. 2, a cross-section in the dotted line :1: 0c, 1'. Fig. 3 is a like section in the line :20; and Fig. 4 shows in front View a waistband applied to a pair of trousers, the waistband being slitted at the hips and the front part turned down to show the construction, the inner ply of the waistband being partially broken out at the back to better show the elastic tape, the waistband at the back being drawn taut.

In the formation of the waistband I preferably take two strips of cloth a 5, cut on a curve, and form a slit b therein between its ends, the said slit being preferably curved, as represented. The edges of the strip about the slit 1) will preferably be turned in and stitched, and the outer edges of the stripswill preferably be turned in, as shown in the section, Fig 2. Elastic tapes or webs d may be laid in between the said strips from edge to edge, the said tapes being shown as laid in pairs to permit the button-holes f to be cut and worked between them. These elastic tapes cross the slit 1). In this condition the waistband and tapes are united, preferably by a row of stitches 2 about the edge of the strip. The button-holes f may then be worked. The waistband is then stitched to the trousers, preferably by one or more horizontal rows of stitches, as 3 4, the stitches 4 being below the slit b and crossing the tapes.

The waistband is secured to the trousers at its ends by stitches, as at 5, and between its ends and the ends of the slit b the said waistband is secured to the trousers, preferbly by a double row of stitches 7, extended transversely across the said waistband, and, if desired, the said waistband may be secured by additional rowsof stitches, as 6, between adjacent button-holes. The upper edge of the waistband, between the rows of stitches 7, is

preferably left free or disconnected; but, if desired, the upper edge of the waistband, between the said rows of stitches, maybe caught to the trousers at intervals.

By making the waistband curved, as described, and securing it to the trousers at its opposite ends and at a point intermediate of the ends of the said band and the ends of the slit, the back of the trousers is made to follow or conform to the curved shape of the waistband when the ends of trousers are brought together-that is, when the trousers are buttoned on the wearer-and as a result of making the slitted waistband curved rather than straight, and securing the said curved waistband firmly to the trousers between its ends and the ends of the said slit, the strain, which would naturally fall entirely upon the row of stitches securing the lower edge of the waistband to the trousers, is partially transmitted to the top of the trousers by the stitches 7, thus relieving the lower row of stitches from strain, as when the body of the wearer is bent, and throwing the fullness into the seat. of the trousers.

By making the waistband curved and attaching it to the trousers, as described, the upper edge of the said band does not work up over the top of the trousers, but remains con cealed from View even when the body is bent. The elastic tapes b are preferably made independent of the button-holes of the waistband, and one of the said tapes is secured to the upper and lower slitted portion of the waistband, between the nearest button-holes in the upper slitted portion and the end of the slit 1). By this construction the elastic tape, when stretched to its utmost tension, relieves the strain from the button hole and transmits it to the top of the upper slitted portion-that is, to the top of the waistband. By this construction the strain upon the end of the slit Z) is relieved therefrom, and the dangerof the waistband tearing at the end of the slit is diminished; but in order to still further diminish the danger of tearing of the waistband at the end of the slit the latter may (and preferably will) be made in the arc of a smaller circle than the curve of the waistband, and while I prefer to make the slit curved, I do not desire to limit myself in this respect.

I claim' 1. The combination, with trousers, of a waistband curved in the direction of its length and provided with a longitudinal slit and secured to said trousers at its opposite ends and between its opposite ends and the ends of the slit, substantially as described.

2. The combination, with trousers, of a waistband curved in the direction of its length and provided with a curved longitudinal slit and secured to said trousers at its opposite ends and between its opposite ends and the ends of the slit, substantially as described.

3. The combination, with trousers, of a waistband curved in the direction of its length and provided with a curved longitudinal slit and having button-holes and stitched to the trousers at its ends and lower edge and transversely between the ends of the said band and the ends of the slit, and elastic secured to the upper and lower slitted portions of the waistband, substantially described.

4. The waistband herein described, it consisting of two strips of cloth, curved in the direction of their length and secured together at their edges, and provided with a longitudinal curved slit and having button-holes and elastic tapes secured to the upper and lower slitted portions of the waistband independent of the said butt0n-holes, the said elastic tape being interposed between the end of the slit and the button-hole in the upper slitted portion adjacent to the end of the said slit, whereby tearing of the end of the slit is obviated, substantially described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOHN E. LEAVITT.

\Vitnesses:

BERNIoE J. NOYES, ANNIE S. WIEGAND. 

